Well another semester, and now almost another year, has come and gone. I had saved up some money for "just in case I want to buy something for myself," and I did. I went to a website called TheCustomSaberShop (many of you probably know it), and purchased parts to build my own LED lightsaber. I did something simple, and I ordered a white LED kit with the different color changing discs. The parts came in very quickly after shipment, and they are all top notch. I recommend them to anyone who wants to try their hand at building a lightsaber.

Of course, there'd be no point in mentioning this if there wasn't some danger involved: Hence the "laserbrain" bart of the title. I will admit that I am not the most gifted at working with electronics. However, I figured since hte wiring was really a pretty simple circuit, I could handle the soldering. ... I was wrong.

I went to Lowe's and bought a soldering iron and set about working to create the circuit, following the diagram presented in the forums on the website. Well, let's just say that soldering irons don't like me.

First example: I burned myself repeatedly, and the iron seemed to want to heat the solder only when it would be in contact with my skin. (No, I didn't have gloves, and I had trouble using pliers and books to keep the wires touching.
Then, after three hours and only one successful connection soldered, the iron decided it did not want to melt the solder anymore. So, after uttering a five-minute stream-of-cursingness rant, I returned to Lowes to get solder putty and a blowtorch.

Second example: Yes, I burned myself with the blowtorch a few times, but it made some nifty fires. Anyway, that method worked better, and within thirty minutes I had everything soldered together.

Oh, and it worked.

BUT.

The lightsaber was very moody. Several quips have been made about the saber resembling the Jedi who makes it, and well, I had no idea why it was moody. Depending on how I would hold it, the LED would stay on, regardless of whether or not I flicked the switch. I spent three days messing with it to try and figure out why, and after the third day, I noticed that whenever the wire from the resistor or the heatsink would touch the aluminum hilt, it would switch to on automatically. So what to do? Simple: line the hilt with Duck brand duct tape and the electronics with Duck brand electrical tape. Proof positive that you can fix any problem with duct tape.

Everything works smoothly now, and I have added a new lightsaber to my collection. For those interested, the CustomSaberShop is a good place to get supplies to build your own lightsaber. Mine cost about $140 INCLUDING the price of the soldering equipment I purchased at Lowe's. However, should any decide to go this route, learn from my pain: practice with the soldering iron and/or be very careful. If possible, imitate a Hollywood celebrity and have "people" to do it for you.

Overall, putting it together was a very enjoyable experience. Especially because it helped me decompress after a long day of taking three graduate level final exams. I may actually repeat the performance...or maybe just buy parts to alter the appearance of the saber.

My fiancee, while I was proving my latent masochistic tendencies, refused to watch as I did this...she said in advance that it would be painful. She did run into the room each time I yelled, cursed, or kicked something in pain and showed her concern both by looking horrified and by reminding me that she knew this would happen. Yes, I was once the child who would have "shot his eye out" with a Red Ryder. She also informed me that if I ever got the "laserbrained" idea to do this again, she'd beat me with the plastic blade until my hand got chopped off. *sobs melodramatically* She's turning into a Star Wars fan...I'm converting her. Love is grand.
.....or else she was just trying to use language I'd understand.

So, I'll probably lose a hand over hte next year, because I just might do this again. So let's hope that medical science comes up w/ith some nifty looking prostetics...I'm thinking a claw like Vincent Valentine from FFVII.

May the Force be with you all...

oh, and Happy Holidays to all...and now...a cup of coffee.